Clemens kupka



C. KUPKA.

AUTOMATIC TIRE' BXTINGUISHER AND ALARM.

i i l ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.)

r WTTNEssEs.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.v

CLEMENS KUPKA, OE PHILLIPSBURG, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF YAND JOHN GLEUBLER, OF EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND ALARM.

SPECIFICATION forming. part of Letters Patent No. 260,998, dated July 1 1, 1882.

Application tiled April 10, 1882. (No model.) I

.To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CLEMENs KUPKA, of Phillipsburg, in the county ot' Warren and State of NewV Jersey, haveinvented a new and Improved Automatic Fire Extinguisher and Alarm, of which the following is a full, clear, and 'exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved device for extinguishing a fire as soon as it originates and to give an alarm at the same time.

The invention consists in the combination, with water stand-pipes reaching to the ceiling of the room, of arms attached to the cocks of these pipes,which arms are held in a raised position by cords ruiming along the ceiling, from which cords loops of intlammable material are suspended, whereby when a fire breaks out these loops catch iire and burn the cord holding the arms raised, thus permitting the arms to drop and open the cocks of the stand-pipes. At thefsame time these arms pull down rods connected with a tire-alarm and witha train of wheels connected with the valve ofthe supply-pipe, whereby the water will be shut oi a short time after the cocks of the supply-pipes have been opened to prevent damage by water.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification,

30111 which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding part-s, in which a longitudinal sectional perspective view of a room provided with my improved automatic fire extinguisher and alarm is shown.

The water-pipe A enters the room at one corner or at any other suitable place, and is passed along the floor at the bottom of one wall, and from this water-pipe one or more stand-pipes, B, extend up along the wall to the ceiling and to the middle of the same, and are provided at the ends with rotating perforated nozzles or distributers C oi' the wellknown construction. Each stand-pipe B is provided at or near its bottom with a valve, B', on the spindle of which is rigidly mounted a cog-wheel, D, engaging with a cog-wheel or curved rack, E, pivoted in arms D', projecting from the stand-pipe. A heavy arm, F, is attached to the pivot of the cog-wheel or curved rack E, and can be held in a raised position by a rope or cord, G, attached to the standpipe, passing through a ring or loop, F', at the end ot' the arm F, and through pulleys, rings, or. loops G G to the ceiling and along the middle of the same, the end of this rope G -being secured to a ring, H, or equivalent device. A series of cords or tapes, I, made of highly-inflammable material or coated with rosiu, pitch, or some othersimilarintlammable material, are attached to the rope Gr and to cords J, passing through loops or rings J' at the sides of the ceiling. The ends of the cords J can be fastened to cleats or hooks I at the ends of the room. A cushion, K, is provided on the floor below the weighted arm F, upon which cushion this arm can drop. A drum,L, a ratchet-wheel, M, anda cog-wheel, N, are rigidly mounted on a shaft, L,`journaled in and projecting from the -wall or some suitable frame. The cog-wheel N engages with a pinion, O, rigidly mounted on a shaft, O', with a cog-wheel, P, which engages with apinion,Q, rigidly mounted ou a shaft with a ily-wheel, Qf.

In place of' the above-mentioned wheels, any

Vother train of wheels may be used for aording resistance to the drum L when the same is rotated by a cord, R, passed around it and over a pulley, R', and having a weight, S, attached to its free end. A chain or rope, T, is also coiled on the drum L in the reverse direction of the rope or cord R, and the lower end ot' this chain T is attached to an arm, U, ot' a valve, U', in the water-pipe A, where the same enters the room. The chain Tis of such length that it forms a loop or coil, T', below the lever or arm U. A large pivoted pawl-lever,V,has one end bent and resting on the ratchet-wheel M, and from the other end a rod, W, is supported, provided at its lower end with a bend or hook, W. A like rod, Y, provided at its lower end with a bend or hook,Y/, is suspended from one end of a pivoted bell-crank lever, X, adjoining to the rod W. The other end of this bell-crank lever X is connected by a cord, Z, with a {ire-alarm apparatus, Z', or any other alarm apparatus.`

If several stand-pipes B are provided, the rods W ot' these pipes are connected with the end of the pawl-lever V by means of bellcrank levers a and b and wires or cords o, and the bell-crank lever b can be connected with IOO' chains f, as shown. A branch pipe, g, pro- -vided with a cock, h, extends from the pipe A beyond the cock U' to the outside of the building, and the outer end of this pipe g leads to an outside stand-pipe; or the hose can be coupled to the same. Any number of the above-described stand-pipes can be combined with one pawl-lever Y and the train of Wheels and chain in the manner shown. A pipe, A', leads from the pipe A to the upper stories.

The operation is as follows NVhen the room is occupied the cords I are drawn up against the ceiling by the cords J, which are fastened on the cleats I'. When the room is not occupiedthe cords J are released and the weights fi draw the cords I downward, forming loops suspended from the ceiling. The lever U of vthe cock U' remains turned down and the cock U' remains open. If a tire breaks out, the loops formed by the cords I immediately catch re and burn the cords H G, which are thus parted, whereby the heavy arms F will be released, and will drop and strike the bends or hooks W' Y' at the lower ends of the rods NV Y, thereby pulling these rods downward. If the rod Y is pulled downward, the alarm Z will be operated and an alarm will be given at the tire department, or by means of a whistle, or in any suitable manner. It the rod W is pulled downward, the hooked end of the pawllever Y will be raised from the ratchet-wheel M, which is thus released. When the arm F drops it rotates the cogwheel or curved rack E, which in turn rotates the cog-wheel D, thereby opening the cock B', thus permitting the water to pass from the pipe A through the standpipes B to the sprinkler or distributer O,which throws it about in the room, thereby partly or wholly extinguishing the tire. As soon as the ratchet-wheel M is releasedl the weight S descends slowly and unwinds the cord B from the drum L,whieh is rotatcd,whereby the chainTis slowly wound on the drum L. First the loop or coil T' of the chain T is taken up, and then the chain T is drawn taut and raises the lever U, thereby closing the cock U'and shutting off the water from the pipe A for the purpose of preventing injury to the building by the water. The water passes from the distributer or nozzles C a considerable time before the cock U' is closed, for the drum L rotates very slowly, as the train ot wheels presents considerable resistance and it takes some time for the drum to wind up the slackened part or coil T' ot' the chain T. As the alarm is given immediately as soon as the cocks B' are opened, the firemen can arrive by the time the cock U' is closed. The firemen can easily open the cock U', if necessary, or can conduct water into' the pipe A from the outside ot' the building through the branch pipe g, which is independent of the cock U'. Firemen labor under a great disadvantage, as in most eases, especially at night or on Sundays or holidays, they do not get the alarm in time to arrive at the tire in time to check it in its origin.

The above-described device operates automatically, and checks or extinguishes the iire in its origin and immediately sounds the alarm.

Springs may be used in place ot' the weight S or the weight on the arms F.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In an automatic tire extinguisher and alarm, the combination, with the stand-pipe B and cock B', ofthe gear-wheel D, segment E, attached to lever F, the .cords G, and loops I, of inflammable material, as shown and described.

2. In an automatic iire extinguisher and alarm, the combination, with the stand-pipes B, of the cocks B', the arms F, the cords or ropes G, the cords J, the cords or loops I, and the cleats I', substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. In an automatic lire extinguisher and alarm, the combination, with the stand-pipes B, of the cocks B', the cog-wheels D and E, the arms F, and the cords or ropes G, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

4. In an automatic tire extinguisher and alarm, the combination, with the stand-pipe B, of the cocks B', the arms F, the rope or cord G, the rod W, connected with an apparatus for shutting oi the supply of water, and the rod Y, connected with an alarm apparatus, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

5. In an automatic fire extinguisher and alarm, the combination, with the stand-pipes B, ot' the cocks B', the arms F, the rope or cord G, the rod W, the pawl-lever V, and a train of wheels connected with a cock for shutting oi' the supply ot' water to the pipes B, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth. y

6. In au automatic fire extinguisher and alarm, the combination, with the standpipe B, of the cocks B', the arms F, the cord or rope G, the pawl-lever V, the chain T, a drum, L, and a lever, U, of the cock U' of the supplypipe A, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

7. In an automatic tire extinguisher and alarm, the combination, with the Stand-pipes B, of the cocks B', the arms F, the cords or ropes G, the rod NV, the pawl-lever V, a train ot' wheels, the chain T, attached to the drum connected with the train of wheels, the lever and the cock U' of the supply-pipe A, substantia-lly as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

8. In an automatic tire extinguisher and alarm, the combination, with the stand-pipes B, of the cocks B', the arms F, the cords or ropes G, the rod W, the lever V, a train ot' wheels, the chain T,the lever U of the cock U', and the branch pipe g, substantially as de scribed, and for the purpose set forth.

eLEMENs KUrxA.

Witnesses:

F. E. FaANKnNFxELn, J oHN HA GERTY.

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